Friday, July 30, 2010

Six months and counting until the coolest High Adventure program in the BSA begins for the 2010-2011 season. Come "up north" to experience the cold weather adventure documented by the Outdoor Channel and Boys Life in the past year.

The OKPIK Cold Weather Leader Training on January 4-9, 2011 is the perfect training for your troop or Venture crew to learn how to do cold weather camping events safely from the experts. Join other Scout leaders and older youth (min. 16 years old) for a 5 day in-depth training session on how to have fun and excitement in the snow.

Below is the link to the registration form for OKPIK 2010-2011. Registration is now open for Webelos, Scout Units, Venture crews, and Council Contingents. Limited dates available throughout the winter. We have openings for all our programs from the Dog Sled Treks, Musher Camp, Ski/Snowshoe Treks, Winter treks, Cabin Stay and the newest of our programs WOW! (Webelos OKPIK Weekend). Please distribute this to other members in your pack, troop, crew or council.

Don't let this opportunity pass you by to take part in the coolest High Adventure program. To reserve your spot or if you have any questions, please contact the Northern Tier National High Adventure Program at (218) 365-4811.

Hope you're enjoying your summer! Ella, Tai and I just started volunteering at LA Family Housing, doing summer-campy activities with recently homeless children. LAFH has a Transitional Living Center in North Hollywood for homeless families who are working toward stability. Space is very tight, and kids have little to do and nowhere to go, so volunteers can bring summer camp to them.

We're also starting a Read to Succeed program. Regular reading sets off a chain reaction of intellectual development, improved grades, and confidence which can greatly impact a child's future. Because their families have had to focus on daily survival, most of these kids have never owned books or read for fun.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The BSA is putting Scouting on the map all across the nation! In time for Join Scouting 2010, the Boy Scouts of America has its own joining Web page with information on Scouting, plus a Google Maps application that will help potential Scouts and their parents find packs, troops, and crews in their communities.

How does it work? In a nutshell, unit leaders can update their unit's Google pin (the bubble you see on Google Maps) through MyScouting. They can add their unit meeting time, location, phone number, unit Web site address if they have one, as well as a contact name for the unit.

"Ask Us! We can help." A new feature allows people interested in a particular unit to e-mail questions to the unit leaders. The parent can type in the question and the unit leader can then respond.

In summary...

Unit leaders publish information about their unit to a pin icon on a Google map.

Parents go to the Web site, submit their address, and find units in their neighborhood.

Leaders gather information from visits to their pins and compile leads that they can manage through MyScouting.

For questions on this process, please contact your District Executive.

Group will meet at the 11th Street main entrance (by Magic Johnson statue)

All guests in my group will receive the 2010 Walking With Dinosaurs commemorative patch.

Great seats are available to my group (VIP / Premier Level / 200's Level - Center - blue section of map) on a first-pay, first-served basis!

Blue tickets are regularly $72.75 from Ticketmaster ($59.00 + $11.25 convenience fee + $2.50 e-mail delivery fee). However, if you reserve through me, the cost is only $36.00 per child/adult. (includes processing/handling fees charged by Staples Center for every ticket...)

This does not include food or parking, please... Carpooling is the best way to go!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Western Los Angeles County Council Leadership Development Training Committee needs your help to update our records. We do not always get notification from other councils that you have completed Wood Badge and would like to update our records. Also dates of completion were not retained until about 2005 so your help is appreciated.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Troop 10 has 1 available spot to attend the famous Camp Makualla in beautiful Oregon. This adventure leaves July 31 and returns August 8th. We will be taking the train there and back through the beautiful scenery of California and Oregon. Great opportunity for your son to get an all too rare experience of riding the rails.

Along with the week at this outstanding Summer Camp the trip also includes a trip to awesome Crater Lake and whitewater rafting! There is 1 spot open for sure and possibly 1 more. Cost of transportation, summer camp and all the extras is $445. Some financial assistance may be available based on need. If you are interested please contact Bernd Engelmann at (818) 343-9027 or (818) 371-5825. First come - first served.

It is with great joy that Glinda invites you to her Wood Badge beading ceremony.

It is with great sadness that Glinda will be leaving the Antelope Valley. She will be joining her husband in Texas. Their son, Greyson, will be leaving on July 16th and won't return to California after his National Jamboree tour.

If you have questions about the beading please contact Glinda at (661) 361-9118.

If you have questions about the going away party please contact Lisa at (661) 942-0582.